Pavement



Nov. 15, 1955 A. PAQUlN-KLEENERMANN 2,723,607

PAVEMENT Filed April 5, 1951 134 mmz mm Hgi.

0M PQ JMM United States Patent PAVEMENT Abel Paquin-Kleinermann,Brussels, Belgium, assignor to Societe Anonyme des Betons Duroc,Ixelles-Brussels, Belgium Application April 3, 1951, Serial No. 218,946

Claims priority, application Belgium April 21, 1950 1 Claim. (Cl.94-.13)

The present invention has for its object a pavement in the form of acovering made of prefabricated material for hardening the ground, thatis particularly suitable for surfaces and areas of airports and thelike.

Said covering is chiefly characterized by the fact that it includes aplurality of slabs arranged side by side after the manner of a mosaic,preferably along the axis of the landing area, fitted laterally throughanchoring and longitudinally through assembling by means of multiple endjoints so as to provide a yielding covering adapted to absorb the impactof heavy masses.

Generally speaking, for large surfaces that have to carry very heavyloads, concrete, possibly reinforced, was used hitherto through castingin situ; the areas were executed section by section and the sectionswere separated by expansion joints. As concerns more particularlylanding areas for aircrafts, they should be capable of supporting veryheavy loads and of offering a sufficient resistance to the impactproduced by the loads that engage the area suddenly and often roughly.

As modern aircrafts become more and more heavy, the landing areas becomethereby more and more difficult to establish in accordance with theseincreasing requirements. The only remedy found hitherto consisted in anincrease in the thickness of the covering in order to prevent thebreaking under abnormal operating conditions.

Practice shows furthermore that deformation of the bed and damage to theabove mentioned joints lead to the infiltration of water andconsequently to the production of drifts under the cast concrete,whereby the slabs are often overhung and cannot resist the originallyforeseen stresses.

The present invention has for its object to remove these multipledrawbacks. It will be better understood from the following description,reference being made to accompanying drawings illustrating by way ofexample two embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. l is a plan view partly sectional of a landing area established inconformity with the present invention, the shape of the elements beingsuch that the connection between the slabs is similar to a tongue andgroove joint.

Fig. 2 shows a modification of the slabs, whereby the assembly shows ajoining line assuming a stepped shape.

Fig. 3 illustrates on a larger scale a partial longitudinal sectionthrough a landing area.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a larger scale of a coupling guidemember with its key.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view on a larger scale of an insert to bepositioned between the slab beams.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the covering isconstituted by reinforced beams 1 preferably of precompressed concreteassuming a single or double flanged and possibly any other suitablecross sections, according to the case; said beams the cross section ofwhich has been thus suitably selected are laid in the simplest case andfor comparatively moderate loads di- 2,723,607 Patented Nov. 15, 1955rectly on the ground, side by side, preferably along the axis of thelanding area.

The sizes of the beams 1 are conventional; by way of exemplification,they may assume a length of 6 m., a breadth of 0.166 m. and a thicknessof 0.20 m.

A plurality of beams (six, in the example illustrated in the drawings)are interconnected to form a unit and are held together by cross bars 2,while inserts 3 of a suitable cross section are positioned eitherthroughout the length or at various locations provided between saidbeams 1, i. e. in recesses formed between the latter.

The assembly of the beams should be performed with the ends projectingin a manner such that when the laying is performed, the outstanding endsof one group of say six beams, i. e. of one structural unit, may fit inthe free spaces left between the beams in the immediately preceding unitso as to form an assembly having a joint with multiple ends.

Referring to Fig. 2, the beams are assembled to form a slab in a mannersuch that the line of connection between the different units of alanding area appears under the form of steps. Obviously, it is possibleto imagine however a great variety of such-projecting ends that mayassume the most different forms so that the slabs or structural unitsshow the desired shape at their connecting lines without unduly wideningthe scope of the invention.

In the execution of a landing area, the various slabs or units formingthe components of its structure are prefabricated and brought to theairport, so as to be laid in situ in the desired position over thebreadth and length of the area to be established.

Between the units are arranged at regular intervals two coupling membersin the form of blocks 4-4 that are housed inside the longitudinalkeyways formed in the confronting, upwardly diverging, slopingside facesof two juxtaposed units; as soon as the units are laid over the ground,a spreader member in the form of a key 5 is driven into the grooves 6-6formed in the side face of the blocks which are directed toward oneanother whereby, in spite of their connection, each slab may transmit atleast partly the stress received to the adjacent slab or slabs.

As described hereinabove, the beams are assembled through ties 2provided with inserts 3 whereas the various slabs that are suitablyconnected transversely transmit the stresses received to the adjacentslabs through the agency of the guide members 44; the consequence isthat the system thus executed allows cutting out any creeping of all orpart of the structure.

To give the system a still greater cohesion, cables, rods 7 or the likemay be stretched across the various slabs throughout or possibly acrosspart of the breadth of the landing area.

The landing area executed according to the invention satisfies thedesired conditions, i. e. the prefabricated slabs allow all tests as toresistance before laying in situ. Said slabs that have a considerableelasticity of their own, form a pivotally linked carrying surfacecapable of absorbing without breaking the contacting impact of themasses that may engage it suddenly.

Furthermore the covering thus established is totally permeable by reasonof the fact that the groups of beams and the slabs are not in joiningrelationship with one another.

Lastly, it is always possible to replace one damaged group by anotherand this is done with a great ease in a minimum time through theoperation of the keys 5; the laying of the work and when required itsrepair is totally independent of atmospheric conditions.

The inserts 3 have been provided hereinabove for constraining the beamsof one unit to work simultaneously, in

other words for allowing a distribution of the load received by one ofthem, but obviously such inserts may appear under the form ofprefabricated small arches, the assembly being performed again throughthe agency of ties so as to constitute the elements that are laid overthe ground to be covered so as to form a landing area.

Similarly, the invention allows obviously without widening its scope thelaying of slabs no longer directly on the ground but on a bed,constituted by recessed slabs for instance that are made of reinforcedconcrete, so as to increase the loading capacity of the landing areawhile obtaining the advantageous elasticity and pivotal mounting of thework as a whole or to allow the establishment of the landing area over aground the character of which is but little favorable.

The running surface of the beams may be indented in order to serve as anice breaker in case glazed frost appears, or else for improving theadherence of elastic wheel tires.

As the Whole of the covering shows hollow channels, it is possible alsoto incorporate to it heating means adapted to prevent the formation ofglazed frost. In this case, the insert 3' is also hollow. (See Fig. 3.)

Preferably, the inserts and the guide members appear at regularintervals so as to provide for the presence of open spaces that allowthe collection of rain water and the exhaust thereof if required intosumps.

The formation of slabs through beams connected by means of ties and heldat the desired spacing by inserts provides a great yieldingness for suchslabs, but obviously they may by executed by means of a single castingof prestressed concrete for instance.

The invention has been described by way of a mere exemplification and byno means in a binding sense and obviously many modifications may bebrought to its details without widening its scope.

What I claim is:

A pavement comprising, in combination, a plurality of pavement unitslocated in end to end and side by side relation, each unit end which isadjacent another unit end having projecting portions defining freespaces receiving and substantially filled by projecting portions of thenext unit end and extending into and substantially filling free spacesdefined by the projecting portions of the next unit end, and each unithaving a sloping side face directed toward the next laterally adjacentunit, diverging therefrom in an upward direction, and formed with alongitudinally extending keyway, said keyways being located atsubstantially the same elevation so that each pair of laterally adjacentunits is provided with aligned keyways confronting each other, saidsloping side faces giving access to said keyways; a pair of couplingmembers respectively located in said keyways of each pair of laterallyadjacent units and respectively having side surfaces spaced from anddirected toward each other, said latter side surfaces respectively beingformed with longitudinal aligned grooves; and a key located in saidgrooves and engaging said side surfaces of each pair of coupling membersto urge the latter apart from each other and to cooperate with saidcoupling members for interconnecting each pair of laterally adjacentunits.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS119,836 Fitzgibbons Oct. 10, 1871 916,693 Fulcher Mar. 30, 19091,351,546 Warmoth Aug. 31, 1920 1,411,415 Cooley Apr. 4, 1922 1,660,421Knight Feb. 28, 1928 1,684,663 Dill Sept. 18, 1928 2,035,977 NicholsMar. 31, 1936 2,094,571 Fischer Sept. 28, 1937 2,327,640 Hendry Aug. 24,1943 2,335,556 Wilson Nov. 30, 1943 2,590,685 Coft Mar. 25, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS 14,142 Great Britain of 1886 7,126 Great Britain Apr. 4, 1901191,621 Great Britain Jan. 18, 1923

